LPD News Blog

Stay informed with the Lakeland Police Department News Blog.

Lakeland Police is still in 1st place for a Social Media Award with our LakelandPD – Up Close video thanks to your votes. The City of SHAKOPEE in Minnesota, population of around 40,000 has a video in second place catching up on us quickly. Lakeland, with a population of over 100,000 we need your votes to win this Government Social Media Award.

Our video highlights officer involved shootings and they lasting affects it can have on an officer, their family and community. With LPd having three recent officer involved shootings and now last night’s shooting of two Lake Wales officers, its perfect timing to get this message out.

Please take the time to vote today or tomorrow. Look for: City of Lakeland – Officer involved shootings.

The Lakeland Police Department continues its investigation into the shooting of an armed sexual battery suspect. There is no additional information at this time as to why David Cuevas was allowed to bond out in Pennsylvania.

Cuevas checked in at the Crestwood Suite Extended Stay Hotel, 4360 Lakeland Park Dr, Lakeland. This is within 2 blocks of the location he decided to meet the victim at which was Lake Gibson Park. A search of his hotel room revealed a duffel bag with rope, duct tape, chains, stun gun, and leg restraints.

Also located in his vehicle (Nissan Xterra) that he drove Lake Gibson Park were 725 9mm rounds, additional leg restraints, two (2) pair of handcuffs, knife and binoculars.

A search of Cuevas revealed that he had four (4) loaded magazines for his 9mm handgun in his rear pocket. It is apparent that this violent offender was intent of committing yet another senseless crime which possibly would have been the abduction and murder of the victim had not our detectives intervened. Our detectives did an outstanding job getting this dangerous felon off the streets and interrupting his goal to comment another crime.

Detectives stated that after Cuevas bonded out of Pennsylvania and prior to arriving in Lakeland, he had the victim’s name tattooed on him indicating his obsession with her.

The shooting can be described as a running gun battle as detectives gave chase and observed Cuevas turn and pulled a loaded firearm from his waist band. While running, the detectives fired a total of 18 rounds hitting Cuevas 7 times. No one else was injured during this incident.